Vijayapura, Karnataka | A man who had allegedly remained absconding for nearly 12 years has been arrested in a case in which he is accused of posing as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), cheating people by promising government jobs and attempting to murder a victim who demanded a refund of the money paid to him. According to police, the accused had failed to appear before the court after obtaining bail and allegedly kept changing his identity, mobile phone numbers and locations to avoid arrest.
Police identified the accused as Gyanagouda alias Jnanagouda alias Ganesh alias C. Sampath Kumar. He was arrested in Bengaluru and produced before a court.
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According to the investigation, the case dates back to 2014. Police have alleged that the accused collected ₹1.20 lakh from a man after promising to secure a police job for the complainant’s relative. When the promised job did not materialise and the victim repeatedly sought a refund, the accused and his associates allegedly abducted him from Star Chowk in Gandhinagar, Vijayapura, on March 26, 2014.
Investigators allege that the victim was assaulted and taken to Hulagi village near Munirabad in Koppal district, where his hands were handcuffed, his legs tied, and he was placed inside a gunny bag before being thrown into a canal in an alleged attempt to kill him. The victim survived the attack, leading to the registration of a criminal case that included charges of attempted murder.
Police had earlier arrested the accused along with two other individuals, including a woman, and filed a chargesheet. However, after being granted bail, the accused allegedly absconded and stopped appearing before the court, following which the case was classified as a long-pending absconder case.
During the investigation, police also found that while on the run, the accused was booked in another alleged cheating case. He is accused of once again posing as a police officer and collecting ₹8 lakh from a resident of Muddebihal after promising to secure a jailer’s job for the complainant’s son.
According to police, the accused was finally traced through technical surveillance after a prolonged search. Investigators alleged that he had continuously changed his aliases, mobile phone numbers and locations to evade arrest. He was eventually arrested in Bengaluru on July 6.
Police said that since 2012, the accused has been booked in about five criminal cases, including those related to cheating, impersonating a public servant, attempted murder and offences under the Arms Act. Further legal proceedings are underway. The allegations against the accused remain subject to judicial scrutiny, and his guilt or innocence will be determined by the court after due process.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
